To Swartkop, Rondebosch Common and the Mule Track for August hikes

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

 in Cape Town, South Africa

 

Hiking among wildflowers

in the mountains

around Cape Town

 

Our first August target was Serruria hirsuta, found only on Swartkop slope above Simon's Town. Buchus - Agathosma lanceolata and Agathosma ciliaris, with long red flowerstalks, anise scented leaves. Among those varied plants we seek out our flowers. Leucadendron spissifolium two lonely males. Serruria hirsuta bushes are about knee high.

 

Swartkop in August for Serruria hirsuta

Protea nitida, the waboom, resprouts from buds after a fire. The new leaves with a vibrant red edge! Tightly sculpted buds opening to huge creamy flowers.

 

Protea nitida waboom in August

In Scrophulariaceae, lime-mustard spidery Manulea cheiranthus, and Hebenstretia repens with orange throat. Lobostemon glaucophyllus changeant pink and blue flowers. Erica pulchella neat pink bells with shiny burgundy calyx. Shapely Pelargonium elongatum leaves. Camera caught fine detail on Pelargonium triste petal.

 

August flowers on Swartkop

For spring flowers to Rondebosch Common after the fire then good winter rain. Purple Muraltia macropetala (Polygala family). Ivory Metalasia densa. Osteospermum monstrosum seeds. Pelargonium triste crowning the Common. Great sheets of Cotula turbinata. Yellow pea Crotalaria excisa.

 

Rondebosch Common with daisies in August

Golden Leucadendron salignum in the rehab area. Little Protea scolymocephala. Yellow Moraea fugacissima. White Pauridia minuta aquatica. Four petalled Heliophila pusilla. Trachyandra hispida with striped petals.

 

With proteas on Rondebosch Common in August

Lachenalia quadricolor. Twirled candycane buds Oxalis versicolor. Salmon Oxalis obtusa. Standard pink and deeper salmony Oxalis purpurea. Romulea hirsuta with a dark ring around the yellow throat.

 

Oxalis on Rondebosch Common in August

This was a good winter for rain, with a few wide shallow ponds there. Thomisus crab / flower spider, large yellow lady with a tiny brown male on Cyphia bulbosa. Arctopus echinatus flat spiky female flowers, and male flowers on taller stems, are on separate plants.

 

Pond and spiders on the Common in August

The Mule Track above St. James for tall silver pea. Softly blue Lobostemon glaucophyllus. Nemesia affinis purple buds opening to blue above and white below. Pink Romulea rosea, petal stripes come thru on both surfaces. Adenandra villosa - porcelain flower. Orchid buds Satyrium odorum. Buttery yellow Romulea flava.

 

On the Mule Track in August Nemesia

Fruit on Olea capensis. Then daisies. Toothy leaves and pink buds Polyarrhena reflexa. Ferocious pink buds Metalasia divergens. Yellow daisy with a black heart Arctotis acaulis. Cotula pruinosa below for the bracts, above for the tiny petals.

 

August daisies on the Mule Track

Hermannia hyssopifolia creamy inflated calyx tiny twirled petals. Tall silver pea Xiphotheca fruticosa lurked out of reach below the path. In 2020 I could get close. Cape Lappet Moth with purple eyebrows. Butterfly wings for Bolusafra bituminosa buds.

 

Pea flowers on the Mule Track in August

 

Our hikes are listed on my page.

 

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Pictures by Diana Studer

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